Notes based on a meeting with Angela Mclean on 15 October 2009.
Modelling4All's epidemic modelling components will be part of an exhibit at the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition.
We plan to have 3 computers driven by 3 mice.
One will have the basic SRI model
Another will have one where schools are introduced (and various school closing policies)
Another will add age and/or behavioural change once someone is aware that they are infected
These will be playable games but also can be re-designed by users by adding new micro-behaviours. (Small set of these building blocks since we expect to only have a few minutes per user (less for those who just play the games)).
If there is reliable Internet then we could aggregate visitors results to visualise the variability of outcomes for the same model and initial conditions.
Could also print out a small card with the user's model URL to continue working on it.
More ideas on 20 November in preparation for the 23 November meeting:
We need to keep the interface VERY simple. Ideally drag and drop. Could have a few behaviours (with nice icons and internal graphics on the micro-behaviour page) that can be added to the population or the public health authority that correspond to collections of micro-behaviours. For example,
Choices of school closing policies:
1. When first confirmed case in the school, 2. When a percentage of the population being infected is reached, 3. When a percentage of the general population is infected.
Choices of school re-opening policies:
Only if herd immunity reached?
Different behaviours for kids:
1. Kids stay home, 2. Kids go out to play with friends (could have different percentages of each behaviour).
Different behaviours for parents:
1. Stay home with the kids 2. Go to work and leave kids with other families
Could produce statistics such as:
- Total number infected
- Peak percentage infected
- Peak change in number in infected
- Estimated economic cost (of missed work as well as school closing)
